A Sword That Never Sleeps
by DontDoDrugsUnlessYouShare
Summary: Rayn Soavan. Demarus Fendis. Maryna Livana. 3 warriors determined to put an end to Soul Edge. But can they discover the truth before their world is engulfed in darkness?
1. Rayn

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This is my very first Fanfic. All I can say is that I hope you enjoy it. Oh, and this storyline is totally different to that of the series, so don't expect any Siegfried appearances lol

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_This is another tale of swords and souls……_

The Soavan family was the most powerful force in England. However, they were not of English descent, so their reputation was quite a negative one. Despite their alienation, they were very rich, intelligent, and above all, excellent fighters. The head of the family, Fandarel Soavan, had one thing on his mind: eternal glory. And from years of research, his ultimate goal had him set his sights on Soul Edge, the most powerful weapon in the world. But, in his old age, he knew he was about to die before he could get his hands on Soul Edge. He looked to his eldest son, Rayn. He saw him as the future of Soavan, for he looked capable of such a task.

"Son."

"Yes, father?"

"You know that I am to die soon, right?"

"Yes, father."

"And one thing that will let me die in peace is seeing you raise Soul Edge in victory."

"But, father, I don't know anything about Soul Edge…."

"Son, all you should know is that once you find Soul Edge, the Soavan family will forever be in the pages of history."

"Father, I am far too young for this burden. But I shall bring honor to our name."

Fandarel instructed his second-in-command, Eamon, to go with Rayn to Eluin Island south of England. It was rumored that the people there hold a great clue to Soul Edge's location. However, they are a savage race, and they MUST use force against them if they are to unlock this clue.

"Rayn, I still do not get why your father would take you on such a dangerous mission. You're only 14 for crying out loud!"

"I would not underestimate father's decision. I'll show you once I get on the field."

Rayn suggested that he personally go check the island before he dispatch the mercenaries his father hired. When Rayn found the village the people lived in, however, he saw that they were peaceful beings, not savages as his father had described. He decided to speak with the chief before tearing down the village.

"I come in peace. I just request that you tell me what Soul Edge is, exactly."

"Well, young one, I cannot tell you the secrets of our ancients."

"Please, I just want to know the slightest detail about the weapon."

"You're persistent, I'll give you that. Alright, here's what I can tell you. Soul Edge is rumored to be the world's most powerful sword. It can shift form depending on the master's commands. But, young one, do you TRULY desire such a blade?"

"I must, to bring honor to the name Soavan!"

Eamon was spying on Rayn throughout their conversation. He assumed that Rayn had defected, and ordered the mercenaries to tear down the village. The chief and Rayn saw them approach, and Rayn knew exactly what was going on.

"Rayn, you are now an enemy to your own father!"

"Eamon, you do not understand!"

"Oh, I do understand! You want Soul Edge for yourself!"

The chief knew what was going to happen. He threw his staff at Rayn.

"Use the staff, Rayn! Defeat your enemy with the Kali-Yuga!"

Rayn picked up the staff and swung it at Eamon. Eamon's sword was broken in 2 instantly. Eamon, terrified, fled the village. However, the mercenaries pressed the attack, slaying innocent villagers. Rayn charged at the mercenaries and used the staff to defeat them. The chief watched as Rayn defeated one mercenary after another with precision. Eventually, the villagers assisted and fought back, dispelling the mercenary force. Rayn was now an enemy of the Soavan, and soon Eamon would tell Fandarel.

"WHAT!"  
"Brother, he is still on the island. We can defeat him, right?"  
"No. I'm sending in Rhian."

"Brother, please, let me make up for retreating."

"You can make up for your retreat by leaving. Now."

Rhian was Rayn's younger brother. He was gifted with magical powers, and spent all of his time studying the magical arts. When he heard he was going to Eluin Island, he saw this as a chance to impress Fandarel.

"Rayn, I am impressed with how you drove back those warriors."

"Thank you. I practiced with spears back home."

"Do you know what you are wielding right now?"

"A staff?"

"Not just any staff, boy! This is the Eluin treasure, the Kali-Yuga. It is a mystical staff that drives away evil with clean energy. That's why you defeated your uncle easily. I see a young man with good intentions in you, Rayn. When you father attacks you again, we will assist."

The villagers nodded in agreement. Rayn was puzzled by what was going on. He didn't know that his Uncle Eamon was a man of evil. If his uncle was evil, could father…..?


	2. Demarus

------------------------------ Heres part 2. Apparently Ive gotten 0 Reviews. Woooooo! ------------------------------

While Rayn Soavan was all the way at Eluin Island, something else was happening in a small town in Italy. In this town lies a huge fort, where soldiers of the King train to prepare for any war. Off to the side was a hill where the young prodigy Demarus Fendis watched them train. He copied the moves and techniques they did, and soon he possessed the skills of a great swordsman. But technique wasn't enough. When the soldiers were doing something else, Demarus would try to lift boulders and carry logs back to his father, a baker in need of firewood. Built in both strength and mind, Demarus wished to be a great warrior in the future. But unfortunately he lived in the poor part of town with his parents, so he could afford the flashy armor or weapons the great heroes of old had. He could only dream...

Until the day he found Requiem.

Demarus was getting up early to get wood for the bakery. As he walked through the fields, he encountered something he never found before. It was a cave, out of place. Demarus stuck his head inside, and heard screams. Someone had fallen in!

"Hello! Can you hear me!"

"...Yes... help me..."

"I'm coming!"

Demarus dove into the cave. Though dark, the man's screams guided him through. Soon, he found a pit where the man was at. In front of him was something... undead. It was slowly approaching him.

"You there! Please, help me!"

"Yes! But.. I need... a weapon!"

He quickly looked around. Then, he saw a giant paddle, used for sailing. Could he...?

"Take this!"

Demarus smacked the undead creature with the paddle, as if it was a 2-handed sword. The man was impressed with his skills, and watched admirably at Demarus. Soon, the paddle broke, and Demarus was defenseless against the undead being. He took the man and ran from the cave. When they reached the exit, they looked back. The monster gave up pursuit.

"Thank you, boy! That was some impressive swordplay, even though it was only a paddle."

"If only I had a real sword, that thing could've been chopped to bits."

"You know, I ventured that cave to find a clue to the great sword Soul Edge. But all I found was a bunch of zombified warriors! Humph! I'd rather give up on the quest than go back in there. Here. 500 Gold coins for your bravery, kid."

The man tossed Demarus 500 gold coins and walked off. That's just enough to buy a quality sword...

"I'll take that one on the right, please."

"Sure? You might be too young for this one, kid."

"Just give it to me, mister."

After getting the money from the man, Demarus ran to the finest weapon store in town. He bought a massive sword that required 2 hands to wield, much like the paddle. The shopkeeper said the name of the sword was "Requiem", and was wielded by a man that claimed to have destroyed Soul Edge before. Might have been rubbish, but at least Demarus was one step closer to being a true warrior. Demarus stood at the pier of the town, and looked out to the east, where mythical fighters lived. He had heard stories about "katanas" and "kunai." He wished to fight them, and prove that his sword could overwhelm them. It was his destiny.


	3. Maryna

Maryna Livana. At a young age she did not know the word justice. That's because her parents were thieves in search of the legendary sword Soul Edge. They have traveled the world together, and they found a lead in a palace in China. Being of unknown descent, Maryna could see that she was different among these Chinese people. They had something far more interesting in the country than anywhere else. It was not the culture she was interested in. It was their magnificent jewelry, weapons, artifacts, all just waiting for her to steal them, just like her parents. Once they arrived at the palace, Maryna's parents instructed her to stay outside as they attempted to get any clues on Soul Edge.

"Now, be a good girl and watch for any suspicious characters. In the meantime, we'll be trying to steal this."

Maryna's father held out a picture of a red gem.

"It is said that this gem glows brightly whenever it is around Soul Edge. We take the gem, we search the entire world, and soon, we will have the greatest weapon of all time!";

They went inside, and Maryna watched them go. Hours passed, and nothing happened. The sun was about to set, and eventually she gave up hope. As she walked inside, a large group of palace guards stormed out of the castle, carrying the dead bodies of her parents.

Maryna never felt the same. She lived in China as a thief, robbing texts on Chinese swordplay so she could become a strong enough warrior to kill the Emperor and take the gem her parents sought after. Then, she could wield Soul Edge and gain ultimate revenge. Her robberies were so clever that the guards never even came close to gaining pursuit of her. The people of China recognized her as "The Unknown Princess of the Night." The Emperor was ridiculed because he couldn't capture a 14 year old girl.

One day, she found an ancient temple, just nearby the capital, where the gem was. As night approached, she decided to go spend the night there. The priest smiled and warmly let her in.

"You are not from China, yes?"

"Uh... yea. I'm a traveler hailing from England."

"What business do you have here?"

"I intend to umm... visit an old friend of mine."

As they spoke, Maryna glanced around. She spotted a magnificent sword on a pedestal nearby.

"What's that sword there... on the pedestal?"

"It's a sword passed down by the priests here. If any intruders pass by, we use it to drive them away. Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. May I take a look?"

"Of course! Here you go. Oh, please excuse me, I have business to attend to outside."

Maryna took the sword out of the priest's hands. She swung it once or twice to get the feel of it, and she instantly knew it had to be hers. There was a special element in it. Something... spiritual. She put the sword in her bag and ran off, taking the priest's instruction booklets on swordfighting. She dashed out into the garden and disappeared into the night.


	4. Rayn's Burden

The villagers at Eluin Island were astounded. In only a matter of days, Rayn successfully passed through the trials of initiation to learn the secrets of Soul Edge. After battling the best fighters, trekking through dangerous land, and using strength he never knew he had, Rayn finally became worthy of knowing about Soul Edge. The chief smiled proudly as he spoke to him.

"Rayn, you have earned my respect since day 1. Now, you are one with your Kali-Yuga, and you are wise enough to know exactly how dangerous the cursed blade is."

"Wait, Soul Edge… is cursed? I thought it was the ultimate weapon!"

"The strongest weapons aren't always the most pure…."

But before Rayn could respond, a thunderous roar echoed throughout the island.

"Brother! You will soon learn the errors of your ways!"

"That voice… Rhian!"

"Yes, now witness the power of the FUTURE OF THE SOAVAN FAMILY!"

Rayn looked to the north, and saw his brother, Rhian, standing by a cliff. He raised his hands, and the sky darkened. Soon, beams of red light shot down out of the black clouds and flashed onto the people of the village.

"Eluin Island now belongs to me! People, give your spirit… to Soul Edge!"

The villagers struck by the light then became mindless. They begun to snatch at the Kali-Yuga. Rayn fled the village with the chief, who still had sanity.

"It won't take long until they possess me. Rayn, while you wield the Kali-Yuga, no one can possess you with that evil. It won't take long until I'm possessed. Now, strike the staff into me!"

"Chief, I can't… kill you…"

"Do it! Or else they'll take me!"

"Yes…"

Rayn, with tears, thrust the staff through the chief. Dying, he looked at Rayn.

"Rayn Soavan, you are going to have the fate of the world in your hands. You must stop Soul Edge!"

"I understand."

With that, he died. Then, Rayn looked again at Rhian, still on the cliff.

"Brother, I will put an end to your dark magic!"

Rayn ran at Rhian, striking down the zombies in his way. Eventually he caught up to him, and swung the Kali-Yuga at him. The blow knocked Rhian out, but left him standing. He pulled out a sword from behind him.

"Brother, why do you oppose your own blood?"

Rayn didn't answer. Instead, he struck down his brother again, killing him. Rayn could see the sword. It was his father's prized rapier. Furious, Rayn snapped it in two then spat on it.

"Now what will I do…?"

The next day, Rayn decided to inspect the damage done. He was the only survivor. Apparently, when Rhian died, so did the possessed villagers. As he looked around, he found a flashing object on the ground. It was a letter. After he picked it up, he saw a ship sail by.

"Hey! Help! I'm sorta stranded here!"


	5. Eyes Reopened

Midnight came, and Maryna was close to reaching the palace where the gem was located.

"Alright, now for a little game I like to call revenge."

Maryna climbed onto the roof of the palace and dove through one of the open windows. Luckily there were no guards. She continued through the room, and proceeded down the hall. A guard was at the other side, and easily found her.

"You there! What are you doing at this hour!"

Maryna didn't back down though. As he charged, she pulled out the sword she stole earlier. Surprised, the guard pulled out a spear. They dueled ferociously, but Maryna was just better, and the guard was impaled in the heart with her blade. She quietly whispered to herself as she dragged the body somewhere else.

"It's people like you that just make me sick..."

She continued down the hallway, and found a key on a table by a door. She heard a noise, and put it in her bag. She opened the door and quietly snuck in. Opening the door slightly, she could see a man walking by.

"Where's Zhou-Tan? Humph, sleeping as usual, I suppose."

The man walked to the other side, and went into a room. Maryna quietly left her hiding spot, and found the end of the hallway. From what she knew, the gem was stored in the room before her. The door was locked, so she pulled out the key from before, thinking it could fit. But, attached to it...

...was a letter.

"What the-"

"Hey! Intruder!"

The man from before found Maryna and before she could pull out her sword, she was surrounded by guards.

"What's this? The key to the Dragon's Gem! I don't know how you got it, but you're in a lot of trouble, miss."

"Wait, Shao. Look at that, in her other hand. Is that, the priest's sword?"

"Aha! So it is. That's 2 crimes, little girl. And what's that letter for?"

"I... don't know."

"Well, then. No matter. Spears at the ready! Execute this-"

"Shao, she hasn't stolen anything from US. We can't turn her in. The least we can do is imprison her."

Shao paused. He cursed under his breath, and grabbed Maryna.

"Come with me. You're going to see the priest. Since you stole his sword and not our gem, we cannot sentence you. But he can."

The group knocked on the front door of the priest. He came out, half asleep.

"Do you know this girl?"

"Yes, why?"

"She was caught intruding the palace with this. Your sword, I presume. It was stolen, no doubt."

"No, no it wasn't."

"What?"

"Are you deaf, Shao? I gave that sword to her, as a parting gift for staying at the temple for the night."

Maryna was confused. The priest was helping her... after she stole his prized sword.

"Fine. You are hereby released of all charges. No harm done, anyway. But, let me ask... why were you in the palace?"

"I was in the palace earlier today, and I lost my bag, and found it by the door."

"Alright. I don't want to see you messing around like that again."

The guards and Shao left. The priest and Maryna were alone in the temple.

"Why... why did you help me?"

"I thought it was the right thing to do. Help the helpless, I always say."

"Help the helpless huh? Wait a minute, this isnt some scheme to get me to convert to your religion is it?"

"Ha, no. I just want to show you that doing good things makes people';s lives better. Now, that I have done a good thing for you, do one for me."

"Okay. What?"

"Give up your life of crime. Turn your back on evil, and instead of pursuing Soul Edge, live positively. You do know that those who wield that blade are warriors of evil. People just never know that."

"So the rumors are true... wow. Okay, you got a deal. From now on, no more crimes for me."

Maryna was about to leave, until the priest stopped her.

"Your sword, miss."

The priest held out the sword. Maryna took it, and thanked him. But then, the 2 could hear Shao approaching.

"Where is that liar! She is an assassin! A harvester of souls! She killed Zhou-Tan!"

'Uh-oh. You better run out of the back door. I'll hold them off."

Maryna bolted out the door, holding the sword in one hand, and her mysterious letter in the other. The priest looked at her, and smiled.

"Farewell, Unknown Princess of the Night."


	6. The Journey Begins

Demarus trained for days with Requiem. His father didn't approve of the sword much, but started to accept it after seeing how much Demarus has gotten stronger and he could gather more firewood. All seemed fine for Demarus, until one day, when he was watching boats at the pier.

A ship just sailed by, and he watched a young man step off. The man looked tired, and walked towards his father's bakery.

"Heh. Looks like business is picking up."

Demarus stood up and followed him into the bakery. His father saw that another customer had come by.

"Hello. I'm kinda hungry, so if you could give me your cheapest loaf of bread..."

"2 gold pieces for the smallest loaf we have."

"Oh, I don't have any money."

"Sorry, kid. No money, no food. I'd really want to help, but I can barely manage my own family."

"I'll pay for it, dad."

"Demarus? Helping strangers, I see. Okay, Demarus. You're lucky my son is willing to help, kid."

The man got his bread, and Demarus led him to a table.

"Thanks for the food. Demarus, is it?"

"Yeah. You don't have to pay me back."  
The man chuckled, and was about to leave. Then, he turned around and looked at Demarus.

"I'm unfamiliar with this place. Would you mind if I spent the night?"

Demarus agreed to share his room with the stranger. Night came, and everyone was about to sleep. Demarus' father turned off the lamps, and then it was quiet. About an hour of silence passed until a loud thump was heard on the roof. Demarus was the first to wake, and went onto the roof. Nobody there...

"What was that noise?"

But then, a warrior wielding a dagger approached him!

"Oh, damn. I thought I could get away with sneaking in, taking your food, and maybe burning down the building, but no. You had to get in my way."

"You... oh, wait. My sword!"

Demarus left Requiem back in his room. The thief swung the dagger at him, but he evaded the attack, following up with a kick to the chest.

"Argh! You're gonna pay for that!"

"Demarus! Take this!"

Demarus looked back. The man he helped earlier tossed Requiem to him. Then, he pulled out his own weapon to assist in the battle.

"Heh. The more, the merrier. I'll take you both!"  
The 3 battled on. Demarus swung with all his might, but could not hit his swift opponent. His ally, however, managed to take him down with his own. Demarus hovered above his fallen enemy, and was about to drive his blade through him.

"Sorry, but I have no plans of dying now. You see, I have my own ambitions. I'm going to become the greatest warrior in the world!"

The thief pulled out a smoke bomb and activated it. In a moment, he was gone.

"Damn! He got away! Oh, umm... hey, thanks for the assisstance."

"I guess we're even now."

The 2 were about to head back inside until Demarus found something taped to the door. It was a letter.

"Huh?"

"A letter? I have one exactly like that!'

"How? What's going on here, exactly?"

The next morning, they decided to both show their letters to Demarus' parents.

"This is odd... hmm... have you opened them yet?"

"No, dad. Let's open them."

When the letters were opened, they received the same message:  
_"You have been watched this past few days. Your skills have impressed us, and we cordially invite you to come to the Mobius School of Combat, located secretly in the mountains near China. Directions on other side of letter. Arrive at the school before May 15th, or you will not be let in._

-Master Sho Pereban"

"Unbelievable! Our son... enrolled in a conbat school?"

"Oh, dear. We must be proud for the boy. I mean, he is another step closer to reaching his dream. What's the date? April 2nd! You don't have much time to get to the school!"

The 2 were about to head east until Demarus' father stopped them for a moment.

"Son, i want you to have this."

'What is it?'

"It's a belt your grandfather had. It was said to grant strength to the wielder. I think it's a bunch of garbage, but who knows? You can use it to think of your mother and I. Good luck, and I'll see you in a year, kid."

The two friends left town, and Demarus just had to ask:

"By the way, what's your name, anyway? I mean, we're gonna be on the road for a while. Might as well get to know each other."

"Rayn Soavan. Why?"

Sure, they didn't possess the qualities of heroes yet... but the future can be very unpredictable...


	7. An Unwritten Alliance

After leaving China, Maryna decided to look over her letter again. She had to get to a combat school before May. This would be a good start to becoming a defender of good. she stopped by a nearby river and reviewed her map. It would take her a week. She sighed and pulled out her sword.

"Hmm... there's no inscription. I'll just have to leave you nameless."

She headed north, until she heard a noise. It was 2 people talking. She decided to eavesdrop for a while.

"So, he's out to find Soul Edge?"

"Yeah, but I've been assigned to destroy it. I don't know why it's so evil."

"Well I dont know about you, but when I get to that combat school, I'm gonna figure out about this whole Soul Edge business."

Maryna had heard enough. They were friendly, so she jumped in front of them.

"Woah! Who are you?"

Hi! My name's Maryna, and I overheard your conversation. You see, I was told to go to some combat school by letter.

"Really? So did we! My name's Demarus, by the way."

"Do you want to accompany us, Maryna?"

"Umm... ok."

This begun the group of friends that would soon go through harsh things together...

Another week passed, and it was only 2 days until the school opened. They were going into dangerous territory, so they all pulled out their weapons.

"Wow! That's a nice staff! I like your sword too.'

"Your sword looks impressive, Maryna."

"We better be careful, guys. You'll never know if-"

But before Demarus could finish his sentence, a horde of wolves appeared before them!

"Get ready! Maryna, take the ones on the left. Rayn, take the right. I'll get the middle."

The battle began. Maryna slashed at the wolves' throats, then following up with multiple stabs. Rayn swung his staff in multiple circles, repelling wolves that dared leap at him. Demarus quaked the ground with Requiem, and shocked the wolves. Then, he slashed them all at once.

The battle ended, and the 3 looked at each other. Maryna decided to speak first.

"That was fun, I guess. Your staff skills ae incredible, Rayn!"

You weren't so bad yourself. Where did you learn those moves?"

"I used this ancient Chinese text."

"Cmon, you two. We still have a ways to go."

The group finally made it to the school. It was on the side of the mountain. The school itself consisted of many tunnels and a huge fighting arena near the mountain. It was truly hidden.

"Well, we made it. Heh. Thought we weren't gonna make it back at the wolf territory."

"Aw, cmon, Demarus. As long as you got me and Maryna, you're gonna be fine."

The 3 then ran toward the huge school.


End file.
